Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The castle was built on the north bank of the Medway beside a ford and close to the present bridge. It was in existence by 1088 when it was captured by William II. The masonry defences and shell keep on the motte were probably built in stone during the 13th century. The great gatehouse overlooking the town has close similarities with another Clare gatehouse at Caerphilly Castle and was probably built in c.1265. Richard FitzGilbert was given the honour of Clare by the Conqueror and Tonbridge was the caput of the de Clares' Surrey and West Kent estates. The castle was dismantled by order of Parliament in 1646.

Images

Monument Types

• CASTLE (Medieval to Modern - 1080 AD to 2050 AD)
• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1080 AD to 1250 AD?)

Full description

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[TQ 8595 4655] Castle [NR] (remains of) (1)

Tonbridge Castle consists of a motte, about 60ft. high, lying in the angle formed by the Medway on the south and a tributary stream on the west, an inner bailey on the south east and a second court to the north. The motte is surmounted by the remains of a shell keep, probably 11th century refaced in the late 12th century. The gatehouse of c. 1300 with parts of the c. 1180 bailey wall remain. the chapel, mentioned in 1322, lay to the east of the gatehouse. The castle is first mentioned in 1088. (2-5)

Tonbridge Castle Motte, a fine example, is in excellent condition apart from superficial remodelling for paths and ornamental gardens. The gatehouse is also in excellent condition having been lately renovated. Fragments of the shell keep and curtain wall are in fair to good condition. The remains are incorporated into a Municipal Public Park, and are as described above. Published survey (1:1250, 1959) correct. (6)

From the National Heritage List for England:

Details
The monument includes a motte and bailey castle dating from the years soon after the Norman Conquest, as well as the later remains of the curtain wall and the 13th century gatehouse. The principle feature of the earliest castle on the site is the earthen motte, circular in plan and 20m high. At its summit the motte measures 24m by 20m. Around the flattened top a wall was built to form a shell keep. The foundations of a number of buildings which backed onto the shell keep wall and a well were located during excavations in 1912 which resulted in the 7m wide depression visible today. The shell keep wall has been partially rebuilt in recent times to a height of ca.1m. The motte was originally encircled by a moat of some 14m width but this was infilled on the eastern side in the 12th century to ease access to and from the motte. Below the motte and to the east was a bailey, the line of which was consolidated by a tall stone curtain wall added in the 12th century which was in turn strengthened by a now-infilled outer moat on the east and north-east sides and to the south by the river. Inside the bailey the foundations of a number of buildings including a chapel are considered likely to survive. In the later 13th century, the original gatehouse was replaced with another with drum towers flanking a strongly-defended gateway. A wall-walk connected the new gatehouse with the keep. Many architectural details survive in the gatehouse, including sculpted windows and arrowloops. The Georgian buildings east of the gatehouse are excluded from the scheduling along with all service trenches, modern paths, steps and display boards, but the ground beneath is included.

Reasons for Designation
Motte castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans. They comprised a large conical mound of earth or rubble, the motte, surmounted by a palisade and a stone or timber tower. In a majority of examples an embanked enclosure containing additional buildings, the bailey, adjoined the motte. Motte castles and motte-and-bai1ey castles acted as garrison forts during offensive military operations, as strongholds, and, in many cases, as aristocratic residences and as centres of local or royal administration. Built in towns, villages and open countryside, motte castles generally occupied strategic positions dominating their immediate locality and, as a result, are the most visually impressive monuments of the early post-Conquest period surviving in the modern landscape. Over 600 motte castles and motte-and-bailey castles are recorded nationally, with examples known from most regions. Some 100-150 examples do not have baileys and are classified as motte castles. As one of a restricted range of recognised early post-Conquest monuments, they are particularly important for the study of Norman Britain and the development of the feudal system. Although many were occupied for only a short period of time, motte castles continued to be built and occupied from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which they were superseded by other types of castle.

The castle at Tonbridge survives well despite the partial excavation of the motte top in the early 20th century and the adaptation of parts of the castle for Georgian residences. The diversity of features at the castle is high, including for example the architectural details of the gatehouse and the garderobe chutes in the curtain wall in addition to the shell keep. In addition the castle is well documented historically as a place frequented by royalty, which together with good public access and informative displays makes the castle of high amenity value.

Tonbridge Castle, Grade I. The property and offices of Tonbridge Urban District Council. (For full description see list.) (7)

Tonbridge Castle. Full architectural description. (8-9)

Tonbridge Castle is one of the oldest and most remarkable of those fortresses which preceeded the Norman Conquest. The manor and castle of Tonbridge seem to have been attached to the See of Canterbury long before the Conquest. It is a tradition that soon after the Battle of Hastings, the archbishop was induced to surrender Tonbridge to Richard Fitz Gislebert, in exchange for his Norman lordship of Brionne. (10)(11)

Tonbridge Castle. An interesting example of the mount and bailey type, the work of Richard of Clare, temp William I. (12)

[TQ 589 466] Tonbridge. Motte and bailey, with a slight outer bailey adjoining both. Walled in stone, with a "shell-keep" and a great Edwardian keep-gatehouse, the two probably connected to form a composite keep. First mentioned in 1088 when taken by William II. Taken 1215, 1264. Little of the structure remains but the general plan can be made out. (13)

Tonbridge Castle and its Lords. (14)

Additional bibliography. (15)

Scheduled monument no 12868. (16)

A watching brief 1995 hoped to show if bank between moat and stream was an original Medieval feature, although no arch. Deposits were visible. The bank seems to be original, but there is no evidence to support this. (17)

Additional Info (20)

In March 2002 a watching brief on minor works and service trenching. Noting of archaeological interest found due to the shallow depth of the holes excavated. (21)

"The castle was built on the north bank of the Medway beside a ford and close to the present bridge. It was in existence by 1088 being captured by William II. The masonry defences and shell keep on the motte were probably built in stone during the 13th century. The great gatehouse overlooking the town has close similarities with another Clare gatehouse at Caerphilly Castle and was probably built in c.1265. Richard fitzGilbert was given the honour of Clare by the Conqueror and Tonbridge was the caput of the de Clares' Surrey and West Kent estates. The castle was dismantled by order of Parliament in 1646." (22)

The findings of a number of small watching briefs have provided information on the development of the castle. (23)

Downman, Revd E A: Surveys c1900 (Collection). SKE6483.

Sidney simmons, 1996, Archaeologia Cantiana, Tonbridge Castle, Further observations on an ancient castle (Article in serial). SKE53676.

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> VCH Kent 1 1908 424-5 plan (I C Gould) (OS Card Reference). SKE50890.

<3> Early Norman Castle 1912 220 plan (E S Armitage) (OS Card Reference). SKE41566.

<4> JBAA 3rd Series 5 1940 63-72 plan (W D Simpson) (OS Card Reference). SKE44955.

<5> Castle of BG 1953 58-9 243-4 plan (S Toy) (OS Card Reference). SKE38620.

<6> F1 ASP 28-JAN-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42332.

<7> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge UD Kent Jan 1972 1 (OS Card Reference). SKE40418.

<8> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 570-1 illus (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50239.

<9> Norman Castles in Britain 1973 324 fig 69 (D F Renn) (OS Card Reference). SKE47674.

<10> Arch J 36 1879 378-9 (OS Card Reference). SKE36620.

<11> Arch 6 1782 269-290 plan (E King) (OS Card Reference). SKE34435.

<12> Arch J 62 1905 188 (OS Card Reference). SKE36668.

<13> Castellarium Anglicanum I 1983 235 (D J Cathcart King) (OS Card Reference). SKE38612.

<14> Arch Cant 16 1886 12-57 illus (J F Wadmore) (OS Card Reference). SKE34748.

<15> Hist of Kent 2 1778-99 322-32 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43944.

<16> Field report for monument TQ 54 NE 2 - January, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2714.

<17> W DOUGLAS-SIMPSON (Collection). SKE6488.

<17> Archaeology South-East, 2000, Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief Undertaken During Restoration Works Undertaken Between September 1999 and March 2000 at Tonbridge Castle Gatehouse, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7465.

<18> English Heritage SAMs 15-10-91 (OS Card Reference). SKE41628.

<19> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Tonbridge Castle Moat watching brief, CAT. 1995. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<20> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1999, Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7389.

<21> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Tonbridge Castle (Unpublished document). SKE8015.

<22> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<23> Alan Ward, 2013, An archaeological watching brief at Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE25082.

Sources and further reading

Related records

Related thematic articles

• Kent's Castles (Thematic Essay)
• The Defence of Kent (Thematic Essay)